I ran across this story whilst checking the weather (to be prepared for Girl Scout outdoor training tomorrow) and it struck me because it's not particularly dramatic - but it's the kind of thing that could happen to anyone, and ended up saving about 70 people, mostly kids, from maybe being hurt or killed (or at least scared out of their little minds).

I've poked around, and while we post them separately sometimes, I thought it might be useful to have a place to collect all these examples of why preparedness - especially the most basic forms that everybody should be doing as a matter of course - really work and really matter.

Meteorologists warn you to prepare when severe weather is in the forecast. Jennifer Patterson, the executive director of a gymnastics academy in Sand Springs, likely saved lives this week because she did just that.

FAIRBANKS — A Birch Creek man who decided to walk from his village to Fort Yukon in 35-degree-below-zero weather was found by a search party just four miles shy of his goal.

Lawrence James, 52, walked roughly 46 miles in about 15 hours, according to Fort Yukon Police Officer Michael Ivie. James’ family had alerted Alaska State Troopers and village law enforcement after James left Birch Creek about 7 p.m. Monday.

He was all set and had no problem. It doesn't always take a 'disaster' to die. Just bad weather + poor planning...

While I've heard of several over the years in the media, specifics skip...but, I will share a few of mine...most of them seem good timing...

Ice Storm two years ago. I had just bought my generator, finally, a few months prior. Ice covered everything, and we lost power for 4 days (a lot for SC, considering it was an ice storm. Temps plummeted. A lot of folks in my neighborhood had to get hotels/go on base. I powered up the genny, brought in some clamp lights, a few space heaters. Kept the house a cozy 67 deg. Switched between the fridge and deep freezer to conserve on gas. The kiddos were even able to play PS3 :0)

Coming out of the tax office 5-6 years ago, when I was just getting into prepping, I had just recently assembled a small SK to keep on my EDC pack. A guys truck couldn't start. We tried a few of the normal things to no sucess. He said something about the key fob could be dead, and the ignition won't recognize. I just so happened to have a spare coin cell that his FOB needed in my SK, that I used for my PT Just In Case. Put the new coin cell in there, his truck fired right up!

Most recently, I was buying some spare fluids to keep in my truck. I knew my S-Belt had a few cracks, but still had some time left, but I bought a spare, as it's quite literally, the weakest link as far as the engine goes. fast forward 7-8 months, my S-belt busted in the parking lot. Threw the new one on, and I was back in business.

These are just some of the most recent, but I've had other small ones at work, etc., when I had the right tool for the job.